Device for use in knitting



Nov. 3, 1942; N. REED DEVICE FOR USE in KNITTING Filed April 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 3, 1942. REED 2,300,808

- DEYICE FOR USE IN KNITTING Filed April 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Judah???" aaj y.

NOV. 3, 1942. D 2,300,808

DEVICE FOR USE IN KNITTING I Filed April 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L Y k I x 40 42 J7 9, M

Patented Nov. 3, 1942 DEVICE FOR. USE IN KNITTING Norman B. Reed, LowelL' Mass, asslgnor to Surgical Products, Inc., Lowell, Mass., at corpo-\ ration of Massachusetts Application April 3, 1939, Serial N0. 265,710

6Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in the art of knitting an elastic fabric, and more particularly to the method of so knitting, to the apparatus by which the method is carried out, and to the fabric so made.

In the making of seamless garments it is the usual practice to vary the length of the stitch as the garment is being knitted, thereby fashioning the garment. When, however, the fabric is made in whole or in part with an elastic yarn which must be maintained under tension as the garment is being knitted, it is essential that the' tension be held uniform regardless of the length of the stitch, and the present invention is directed to the attainment thereof whereby the tension of the elastic yarn is at all times under control. Uniform tension as here used is to'be understood as meanin that the elongation of the clastic yarn per unit of length as it is delivered to the needles is substantially constant;

The following description sets forth the method of attaining such control, the product of that method, and one embodiment of a device adapted to be attached to a knitting machine by which the invention is carried out, and in order to facilitate an understanding of this invention there are presented herewith drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and rear elevations respectively of a knitting machine to which has been attached a device by which this invention is carried out;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views in plan and side elevation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of a cam drum; and

Fig. 6 is 'a view of a stocking embodying this invention and made in accordance therewith.

This invention has been shown in the drawings and will be described as employed in making fashioned seamless stockings. It will be understood that this type of garment has been selected as illustraitve and that the invention is not thus limited thereto.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown on Figs. 1 and 2 a knitting machine of a suitable well known type whereby fashioned seamless stockings are made. Such machine comprises a knitting cylinder 2|, a sinker head 22 and a yarn guide 23, which elements are shown in dotted lines since they carry out their shortest at the narrowest part. This chang in the length of the stitches is carried out by pattern mechanism which is enclosed within the base and is not shown in detail, since it forms no part of the present invention. Whatever type of mechanism be employed, it includes a shaft 26, known as the pattern drum shaft which is driven intermittently and completes a single rotation as each stocking is knit.

In the manufacture of the stocking shown in Fig. 6, which embodies this invention, elastic yarn is used, except at the top 3| and heel 32, with or without other yarn. The elastic yarn must be at all times knitted under tension, and in order that; this tension be uniform throughout the stocking, the amount of yarn supplied rod 35. The device includes a pair of conical rollers 31 and 4| arranged in reverse positions (see Fig. 3). The lower roller 31 is keyed to a shaft 38 supported at the ends of the roller in bearings carried by the arms of a yoked bracket 39 mounted upon a bar 40 adjustably secured to the rod 36. The roller 4| is carried on a shaft 42, the ends of which are received in slots 43 of vertical posts 44 supported by the bracket 39. The posts 44 are here shown as integral with the arms of the bracket but they may be separate elements suitably secured thereto. The upper roller 4| rides upon the lower roller 31 and is held yieldably in contact therewith both bythe action of the force of gravity and by a weight 45 depending from a yoke 46 which is suspended from the shaft 42, the arms of the yoke 46 enclosing the roller 4|. Pivoted upon a pin 41 carried byan arm 48 depending from the bracket 39 is a right angle lever, the arm 49 of which is right angular and carries at its free end a short rod 50 pivotally attached thereto by a pin 5|. Fixed on the shaft 42 is a collar 52 having a central peripheral groove 53 which receives the rod 50. Fixed to the other arm 54 of the lever is a rod 55 by which, as will be set forth below, the lever is rocked and the upper roller 4| shifted along the roller 31.

The yarn is guided between the rollers by a a tube 56 carried by the yoke 46 and an eye 51 in the lever arm 49. The roller 31 is positively driven by means to be described, through a pul- 55 ley 58 on the shaft 38, and the roller 4| resting upon the roller 31 is moved by such contact in unison therewith, thus advancing the yarn.

Mounted in the base 25 is a drive gear 59 which, through an idler gear 6!], drives a gear 5|. The gear 5| in turn rotates a pulley 62, in line with the pulley 58, and. connected therewith by a belt, cable or the like 63. The gear 6| acts through a clutch which includes a slidable clutch collar 64.

From the above description it will be apparent that the tension under which the elastic yarn is knitted is controlled by the device 35. As previously pointed out, it is necessary in order to hold the tension uniform that more yarn be passed to the knitting cylinder when the stitches are long than when they are short. In the stocking 30 (Fig. 6) the area designated by the numerals 65 and 65 show the long stitch employed at the calf and the short stitch employed at the lower smaller part of the stocking and the foot. The rate at which the yarn is fed depends upon the speed of travel of the surface of the roller 31 against which the yarn is held by the roller 4|. Thus the location of the yarn is determined by the position of the roller 4| which is moved longitudinally of the roller 31 by the following means, so that the amount of the elastic yarn required is varied in accordance with the length of the stitches being knitted.

Mounted upon a cup-like drum .10 fixed to the intermittently driven pattern drum shaft 26 is a continuous cam 'll upon which rests the tip 12 at one end of a lever 13.- The lever 13 is fulcrumed intermediate its ends upon a stud l4 projecting from the base 25. The other end of the lever 13 is connected to the lower end of the rod 55 by a rotatably mounted pin 15 having an opening therein which receives the rod, and a set screw 15 by which the rod is secured in place. The lever 13 is thus actuated by the rotation of the cam -'H to shift the roller 4| longitudinally of th roller 31.

When those portions of the stocking, where the elastic yarn is not used, are being made, the feed of the yarn is cut on by shifting the clutch collar 84 to disengage the clutch, i. e. to the right in Fig. 2. This shifting is automatically controlled by the pattern drum shaft 26 through the provision of cams 88 and 8| on the drum i0 and a lever 82, one end of which rests normally upon the surface of the drum in the path of the cams 88 and 8| and is raised thereby. The lever 82 is fulcrumed upon the stud 14 and connected at the other end through an extension 83 and link 84 to one arm of a right angle lever 85. other arm of the lever 85 rides in the central groove 86 of the collar 64. Hence when the lever 82 is actuated by one of the cams 88, 8|, the clutch is disengaged so that the roller 31 of the device 35 is no longer driven to feed the elastic yarn.

The operation of the elastic yarn control device 35 during the knitting of the stocking 38 (Fig. 6) is as follows: Let it be assumed that the drum H1 is in such position that the lever 82 has been tripped by the cam 80 so that the device is at rest. Until the drum 10, which, under the control of the pattern mechanism, moves intermittently in the clockwise direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, has

traveled through the period 90, the elastic yarn is not fed, at which time the top 3| of the stocking is being made. While the drum is moving through the period 90 the cam 1| actuates the lever '13 to shift the roller 4| to the right in Fig. 3 during the period 9|. The roller is held in that position during the period 82. The period. 90,

The

however, terminates before the period 82, so that the feed of the elastic begins while the roller 4| is so shifted. After passing the period 92 the cam during the period 83 allows the roller 4| to return slowly to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus reducing gradually the amount of yarn fed by the device. As the drum travels through the period 94, the amount of yarn fed remains uniform. The cam 8|, which acts during the period 95, cuts off the supply of elastic yarn as the heel 32 of the stocking is being knitted.

From the above description it will be apparent not only that no elastic yarn is fed while the top 3| and heel 32 are being knitted, but also that, as the length of the stitches is changed, the amount of elastic yarn fed to the knitting cylinder is similarly changed. Thus the tension under which the elastic yarn is knitted into the stocking is kept uniform throughout the length of the stocking. Thereby there is no undue pressure of the stocking upon the leg and foot of the wearer at any point so that they are firmly embraced.

Heretofore an elastic stocking having these advantages has been madeilat and provided with a back seam. Such a stocking is objectionable due to its bulky appearance, and consequently many who really require the support given by elastic stockings, have been unwilling to wear them. A seamless elastic stocking not fashioned is open to objection because either the pressure at the large parts of the leg is too great for comfort, or the pressure at the small parts of the leg and at the foot is too light and the stocking bags at those points. An elastic stocking made according to this invention, however, is not open to these objections and may be worn under a sheer silk stocking with perfect comfort and without fear of discovery.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that various changes may be made in the control device and its associated parts, in the method or in the article without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for use with a knitting machine having a knitting cylinder and pattern mechanism by which are made seamless fashioned stockings, which device feeds elastic yarn to the knitting cylinder at uniform tension and in amounts varying in accordance with the length of the stitches of the stockings as determined by the pattern mechanism, said device including a pair of conical rollers arranged in reverse positions and between which the yarn passes, means for driving said rollers to feed the yarn and means for shifting said yarn with respect to one roller whereby the amount of yarn fed to the knitting cylinder is varied.

2. A device for use with a knitting machine having a knitting cylinder and pattern mechanism by which are made seamless fashioned stockings, which device feeds elastic yarn to the knitting cylinder at uniform tension and in amounts varying in accordance with the length of the stitches of the stockings as determined by the pattern mechanism, said device including a pair of conical rollers arranged in reverse positions and between which the yarn passes, means for driving said rollers to feed the yamand means for shifting said yarn with respect to one roller whereby the amount of yarn fed to the knitting cylinder is varied, both said means being controlled by the pattern mechanism of the knitting machine.

3. A device for use with a knitting machine having a knitting cylinder and pattern mechanism by which are made seamless fashioned stockings, which device feeds elastic yarn to the knitting cylinder at uniform tension and in amounts varying in accordance with the length of the stitches of the stockings as determined by the pattern mechanism, said device including a pair of conical rollers arrangedin reverse positions and between which the yarn passes, means for driving said rollers to feed the yarn and means for shifting said yarn with respect to one roller whereby the amount of yarn fed to the knitting cylinder is varied, said last named means being controlled by the pattern mechanism of the knitting machine.

4. A device for use with a knitting machine having a knitting cylinderand pattern mechanism by which are made seamless fashioned stockings, which device feeds elastic yarn to the knitting cylinder in amounts varying in accordance with the length of the stitches of the stockings as determined by the pattern mechanism, said device including a pair of conical rollers arranged in reverse positions and between which the yarn passes, means for driving one of said rollers to feed the yarn, and means for shifting the other of said rollers with the yarn longitudinally of the driven roller thereby varying the amount of yarn fed by the device to the knitting cylinder.

5. A device for use with a knitting machine 8&-

having a knitting cylinder and pattern mechanism by which are made seamless fashioned stockings, whichdevice feeds elastic yarn to the knitting cylinder in amounts varying in accordance with the length of the stitches of the stockings as determined by the pattern mechanism, said device including a pair of conical rollers arranged in reverse positions and between which the yarn passes, means for driving one of said rollers to feed the yarn, and means for shifting the other of said rollers with the yarn longitudinally of the driven roller thereby varying the amount of yarn fed by the device to the knitting cylinder, and connections between said shifting means and the pattern mechanism whereby the movement of the shifting means is controlled by the pattern mechanism in accordance with the length of the stitches taken in knitting the stock-.

' knitting of the stockings as determined by the pattern mechanism, said device including a pair of rollers between which the yarn passes, means for driving said rollers to feed the yarn and means controlled by the pattern mechanism of the knitting means by which the driving means is rendered inoperative.

NORMKN B. REED. 

